Back before the National Championship, before the 500+ wins, and before the 9 Coach of the Year Awards, Jay Wright couldn’t even get a job working the Villanova summer basketball camp.
When Wright first got into coaching he applied to work the 1985 Wildcat basketball camp. He viewed this as something that would further his career — an opportunity to learn and grow as a coach. But it was more than that. Wright grew up a big Villanova fan and saw this camp job as a dream position.
His application was rejected.
Villanova had just won the NCAA Tournament and the camp was booming. Every coach wanted to work the camp and, new to the profession, Wright’s resume was buried well below more qualified coaches.
Wright saw his dream come and go.
But it didn’t go for long.
The timing was just not right (pun intended). Wright didn’t give up and let his dream die. With a lot of hard work and a little bit of good fortune he was able to work his way onto the staff of a future Villanova basketball camp.
And then he upped his dream.
Fast forward to 2016 and that same guy who was rejected by Villanova was leading the school to their second National Championship.
Good thing for Villanova he didn’t give up.
